Patience
by Lillie Flowers
Summary: He had been waiting for so long, waiting for her to see, waiting for her to notice, waiting for her to feel. Had it been long enough?


The lab was creepy at night.

Special Agent Seeley Booth wasn't fond of the Jeffersonian Institute to begin with, but at least there was something in the way it glinted during the daytime that gave off a cool feeling of security, even if the sterile chill in the air did rattle his nerves. At night, however, with the lights dimmed and the instruments quieted, it gave off an even more unnerving sensation. He stepped quietly, the echoing tap of his shoes making him abnormally anxious. He knew that when morning came, he would feel ridiculous for having felt such an irrational fear, but for the moment, he just concentrated on making it to his partner's office.

Doctor Temperance Brennan sat on the couch in her office, calmly sipping a warm cup of tea. She glanced through the paperwork on her coffee table, occasionally tossing her hair across one shoulder. Booth, stepping as silent as possible, was able to walk all the way up to her doorway without being seen. He leaned against the frame, unconsciously staring and taking in the beauty of the woman he loved. He felt as if he knew almost every detail of her appearance. Part of it, he supposed, was the line of business he was in. He made it a point to recognize, almost instantly, the distinguishing features of a person. He could guess someone's weight, his or her approximate age, and give at least a vague description for a sketch artist. Booth smiled as he watched his partner straighten the stacks of paper in front of her. This was something else. It wasn't her weight or age he cared about. It was her eyes and the way they sparkled when she was happy. It was that lovely, crooked smile that appeared when she finally understood one of his jokes. It was every little gesture and mannerism that he knew by heart. He felt almost as if she were a part of him, something he had to keep close, just to stay alive.

"_All you need is love…"_

Curiously, Booth cocked his head sideways and grinned. His partner was still thumbing through lab reports, but she seemed slightly distracted, and much to Booth's amusement, was singing quietly to herself.

"_All you need is love, love…love is all you need."_

Booth stepped in the door, purposefully clicking his heels to make his presence known.

"Booth!" Dr. Brennan blushed slightly and gave him a shy smile. "I didn't hear you walk in."

"I didn't know you were a Beatles fan, Bones." He gave her a cocky grin and leaned over the back of her couch.

"I love many different types of music, Booth, though most of their songs don't make a lot of sense to me. Love is definitely not all I need. I need water, food, oxygen…" Booth laughed and then cleared his throat, reminding himself of his reason for invading her space.

"Yeah, I know. Listen, I got a call from your dad."

Booth lowered his tone as he spoke the words, even though he knew the lab was empty for the night. His partner turned around from where she sat and faced him.

"I haven't talked to my father in several days. Did something happen?"

"He's fine, Bones, there's nothing to worry about," Booth was quick to reassure her, "but there is something he asked me to take care of right away. See, there's this guy…"

"Joe Simons," she interrupted. Booth blinked in surprise. She sighed and said, "Russ called me yesterday and told me he had seen this man and that he could be dangerous to me. I assume my father called you because he wants you to protect me."

Booth frowned. "You knew about this guy, and you're here, alone, in your office, at night."

Brennan looked blankly at her partner. "Where else would I be? If this man is so dangerous, I'm not going to be any safer in my apartment. At least here, there is security."

"Fine," Booth relented, "but I'm following you home tonight. And tomorrow we're going to find you a hotel to stay in until we find out if this man is really a threat to you."

Expecting her to fight him, he couldn't hide his surprise when she smiled instead.

"You really do take good care of me, Booth. I know I don't show my appreciation for all that you do, but I do feel very…" she paused, unsure of the word she should use, "…cared for."

Booth leaned over and kissed her forehead. He hadn't meant to, but as soon as he felt her skin, he sighed and found it difficult to pull away. He waited for her to object, but heard nothing. He lowered his head and stared into her eyes, his face only inches from hers.

"I'll always be here to take care of you, Bones. You're my partner. It's my job."

He knew his words and his actions were saying two different things, but he felt as if his mind was slightly muddled and he couldn't think clearly at all. She was smiling back at him, her eyes shining in a way he wasn't quite familiar with. The space between them felt like miles, and yet her lips seemed so thrillingly close to his. He waited patiently. He had been waiting for so long, waiting for her to see, waiting for her to notice, waiting for her to feel. Had it been long enough? He felt an ache in his chest and he realized he just couldn't wait anymore. Slowly, he closed the gap between them and waited for her to pull away.

She didn't.

His partner, his beautiful, wonderful partner, kissed him back so passionately that he felt his senses would burn out and his whole body would explode. With her arms winding their way around his neck, she climbed up the back of the couch and leaned into his chest. His hands ran through her hair and slid up and down her neck, her back, and her shoulders. He couldn't get enough of her taste, and he was enraptured by the small sighs that eased out of her mouth. She leaned into him, and she leaned so hard that he suddenly felt dizzy and before he knew what was happening, the couch toppled over with a thud.

Booth groaned and tried to push it off, but his partner still sat on the overturned couch, slightly stunned.

"Bones," he moaned, "Can you help me out here?"

She hopped up and helped him replace her furniture to its normal position. Feeling slightly embarrassed, Booth glanced around the room, his hands in his pockets.

"Um, I guess I'd better be going."

His partner turned to face him, her eyes questioning.

"I thought you were going to take me home." She blushed. "For safety, I mean. So that I don't get murdered. Not for any other reason."

Booth grinned and held out his arm.

"Sure thing, Bones."


End file.
